18+ | Commercial Content | T&Cs apply | Wagering and T&Cs apply | Play Responsibly | Advertising Disclosure
icon
Tom Weekes

Tom Weekes

Only By Night wins Navan's finale

Sun 19th Nov 2023, 16:33

Only By Night and Derek O'ConnorOnly By Night and Derek O'Connor
© Photo Healy Racing

"I think she is a bit special" was jockey Derek O'Connor's summation of Only By Night after an October success and today followed-up as the heavily-backed favourite in Navan's Listed Coolmore NH Sires Bumper.

An easy winner at Limerick on October 21, the Affinisea-mare was again ridden by O'Connor and having returned the 5/4 favourite (from 3/1), travelled strongly and won well from promising runner-up Mongibello with €500,000 point-to-point purchase Qualimita filling third.

Trainer Gavin Cromwell was completing an Ireland-England double having earlier won a Cheltenham handicap chase for Only By Night's same owners the Russell family, with Malina Girl.

With some understatement, Cromwell commented “that was great, I'm delighted with that. She's a lovely mare and she ploughs through that ground. I'd say we'll probably stay in bumpers with her this season but I'll have a chat with the owners.

“She's a lovely mare and has a great temperament. She'll go on any ground, she's very straight-forward.”

Quotes from Gary Carson

About Tom Weekes
A lifelong racing fan, Tom began writing point to point reports in 2002 and has reported for irishracing.com since 2003, when he joined Irish Racing Services - since taken over by the Press Association. Has ridden a point to point winner and won the 2018 Irish Field Naps Table.